Pearl Mackie

Pearl Mackie (born 29 May 1987[2]) is a British actress. She is best known for playing Bill Potts in the long-running television series Doctor Who.[3] Mackie is a graduate of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.[1] Her first major television role came in 2014, when she played Anne-Marie Frasier in BBC One soap opera Doctors.

Pearl Mackie
Mackie at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con
Born (1987-05-29) 29 May 1987
Brixton, London, England
Alma mater
Occupation
  • Actress
Years active2010–present
PartnerKam Chhokar (engaged)
RelativesPhilip Mackie (grandfather)

Early life

Mackie grew up in Brixton in south London and is of paternal West Indian and maternal English descent. She is the granddaughter of Philip Mackie, who wrote the screenplay for The Naked Civil Servant. She was educated at Burntwood School in Tooting. She earned a degree in Drama from the University of Bristol,[4][5] and speaks English, French and Spanish.[6] During her studies she went to workshops and took part in many extra-curricular plays.

In 2010 she graduated from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.[7] In the same year Mackie was nominated for the BBC Carleton Hobbs Award for outstanding duologues in the school play Noughts & Crosses.[8]

Career

Mackie appeared in an early mainstream role as a front of house girl in the 2013 music comedy Svengali.[9] In 2014, Mackie played Anne-Marie Frasier in Doctors and the young computer genius Mia in Crystal Springs at the Park Theatre in London.[10][11] She could also be seen in the political satire Obama-ology at the Finborough theatre in west London, playing Cece and Caits, two young women finding their voice.[12]

In 2015, she performed in the National Theatre's West End production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time.[13] In the same year Mackie appeared in the short film Date Aid by Bond, a satirical public service announcement.[14][15] Mackie has also worked as an acting tutor for Troupers, a company that teaches theatre skills to children and young people.[4]

On 23 April 2016, it was announced that Mackie would be playing Bill Potts, the companion of The Doctor in the British television series Doctor Who.[3][5] It was also announced in March 2017 that Bill would be the first openly gay main companion in the series.[16]

After production on Series 10 of Doctor Who had wrapped, Mackie joined a production of Harold Pinter's The Birthday Party as Lulu. The production – costarring Stephen Mangan, Toby Jones, and Zoë Wanamaker – opened in January 2018 at London's Harold Pinter Theatre.[17]

In 2020, she guest starred as Lucy 1 in Friday Night Dinner.[18]

Personal life

On 28 June 2020, Mackie came out as bisexual in an Instagram post.[19] She and her partner Kam Chhokar announced their engagement on 19 January 2022.[20]

Filmography
Key
† Denotes productions that have not yet been released

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2013SvengaliFront of House girl
2015 Date Aid Sarah Short film
2018 Origami Heather
2019GreedCathy
2020Horizon LinePascale
The Lennox Report Tarnia Short film
Copycats Lady Isabelle Sausage
2022The DealKabira
TBA Your Move † Patricia Short film
Tyger †SarahPost-production

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2014DoctorsAnne-Marie FrasierEpisode: "Love Is Blind"
2017Doctor WhoBill Potts13 episodes
2018The Crystal MazeSleeping BeautyEpisode: "Celebrity Christmas Special"
Gods of MedicineElsa Powers2 episodes
2019Urban MythsKayEpisode: "Andy & The Donald"
Pops and BranwellPops Popowski (voice)Short animated film
2020Friday Night DinnerLucy One2 episodes
2021The Long CallDS Jen Rafferty4 episodes
2022 Lloyd of the Flies Gena (voice) 17 episodes
Best & Bester Grafifi (voice) 13 episodes
2023Tom Jones Honour Newton 4 episodes
2023The DiplomatAlysse8 episodes

Radio
Year Title Role Production Notes Ref.
2013 Great Expectations Miss Havisham BBC Radio 4
Romeo and Juliet Juliet
2017 Adulting Charlotte BBC Radio 2 6 episodes
2018 Proposal Lucy [21]
2019 Prepper Rachel BBC Radio 4 4 episodes
Forest 404 Pan 27 episodes [22]
2021 Doctor Faustus Wagner BBC Radio 3 [23]

Theatre
Year Title Role Theatre Location Ref.
2010 The Comedy of Errors Adriana Circomedia Bristol [24]
The Crucible Tituba Theatre Royal [25]
2012 Only Human Nina Theatre503 London [26]
Home Woman 1 / Pattie Mae The Last Refuge [27]
2014 Crystal Springs Mia Park Theatre [28]
Obama-ology Cece Finborough Theatre [29]
Disnatured Regan RIFT Theatre [30]
Hello Kind World Unknown The Drayton Arms [31]
2015 The Helen Project Helen of Troy The Face to Face Festival [32]
A Mad World, My Masters Truly Kidman Theatre Royal Brighton [33]
2015–2016 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Punk Girl / Information Lady / No.40 Gielgud Theatre London [34]
2018 The Birthday Party Lulu Harold Pinter Theatre
2020 Bubble Ashley Nottingham Playhouse Nottingham [35]

Audio
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2017 The Last Namsara Asha [36]
2019 The Conception of Terror Mika Chantry
2020 Ladybird Stories for Rainy Days Narrator
Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales Narrator [37]
Paper Thin Vanessa [38]
Cold Comfort Farm Narrator [39]
2021 Sour Hall Ash 6 episodes
2022 Delphine Jones Takes a Chance Narrator

Music videos
Year Title Artist Director Role
2014 "Real" Years & Years Robert Francis Müller Clubber

Commercials
Year Brand Company Ref.
2020 Westgate Oxford VCCP [37]
Uber 72andSunny [37]
Barclays Publicis [37]
Sainsbury's Global Radio [37]
Diet Coke Wieden+Kennedy [37]

Accolades

Awards

Nominations
  • 2010: BBC Carleton Hobbs Awards – Outstanding Duologues for the BOVTS play Noughts & Crosses (shared with Roddy Peters)[8]

Honorable mentions

References
  1. "Alumni". Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. n.d. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  2. Gee, Catherine (7 April 2017). "Doctor Who's Pearl Mackie: everything you need to know about the new companion". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 5 January 2023. Pearl Mackie was born on 29 May 1987, in the south London district, to West Indian and English parents.
  3. "Doctor Who: Pearl Mackie named as new companion". Entertainment & Arts. BBC News. 23 April 2016.
  4. "Tutors: Pearl Mackie". Troupers.org.uk. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016.
  5. Hughes, Sarah (9 April 2017). "Doctor Who's Pearl Mackie: 'When I was little there weren't many people like me on TV'". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  6. "9 things about new Doctor Who companion Pearl Mackie". BBC One. 23 April 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  7. "Pearl Mackie announced as new Doctor Who companion". The Guardian. 23 April 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  8. "Winners: Carleton Hobbs Bursary Award 2010 Winners". Soundstart. BBC. 17 June 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  9. Warner, Sam (23 April 2016). "Who is Pearl Mackie? Here's everything you need to know about the new Doctor Who companion before the TARDIS". Digital Spy. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  10. Proto, Laura (23 April 2016). "Doctor Who: New companion unveiled as former Doctors actress Pearl Mackie". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  11. "Crystal Springs – Park Theatre, London". Thereviewshub.com. 14 August 2014. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016.
  12. Gardner, Lyn (3 December 2014). "New cast for Curious Incident". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  13. Marshal, Charlotte (12 May 2015). "New cast for Curious Incident". Official London Theatre.co.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  14. Purvis, Katherine (10 November 2015). "Date Aid: are charities sending the wrong message?". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  15. "Who's Pearl Mackie? 7 Things We Know About The Actor Playing The Doctor's New Companion". Space.ca. 23 April 2016. Archived from the original on 11 January 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  16. Mzimba, Lizo (31 March 2017). "Doctor Who gets first openly gay companion". BBC News. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  17. Jones, Paul (15 September 2017). "Pearl Mackie joins Stephen Mangan, Toby Jones and Zoe Wanamaker in first project since Doctor Who". Radio Times. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  18. Sandwell, Ian (29 April 2020). "Friday Night Dinner first look clip introduces Doctor Who star in season 6 finale". Digital Spy.
  19. Damshenas, Sam (29 June 2020). "Doctor Who star Pearl Mackie comes out as bisexual". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020.
  20. West, Amy (20 January 2022). "Doctor Who star Pearl Mackie gets engaged to her girlfriend". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  21. "Proposal". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  22. "BBC Radio 4 launches innovative new podcast project - Forest 404". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  23. "Drama On 3". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  24. Vowles, Jacquie. "The Comedy Of Errors, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School at Circomedia". Whats on Bristol.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 January 2018.
  25. "Strong show of extreme controversy". Bristol Post. 15 June 2010. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016.
  26. "Only Human". Withoutapaddletheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  27. Knowles, Kieran (2 November 2012). "Only Human". Thegoodreview.co.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  28. Taylor, Paul (11 August 2014). "Crystal Springs, Park Theatre, review: 'Acutely intelligent'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022.
  29. Fisher, Philip (30 November 2014). "Theatre review: Obama-ology at Finborough Theatre". British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  30. "Disnatured". Cargocollective.com. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016.
  31. "Hello Kind World". Skylight Theatre. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016.
  32. Tasker, Amy Clare. "The Helen Project". Amyclaretasker.com. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016.
  33. Guest, David (12 March 2015). "Review: A Mad World, My Masters (Theatre Royal, Brighton, until Saturday, March 14)". Mid Sussex Times. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016.
  34. Hoile, Christopher. "Review – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time". Stage-door.com. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  35. "Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company presents Bubble by James Graham Sat 24 Oct 2020". Nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk. n.d.
  36. "Books by Pearl Mackie". HarperCollins. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  37. "Pearl Mackie". United Agents. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  38. "#8 Paper Thin by Eliot J Fallows - performed by Pearl Mackie - the Painkiller Podcast".
  39. Cold Comfort Farm. Penguin.co.uk. 25 June 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  40. "VOXAFRICA NOMINATED FOR FAVOURITE BLACK BROADCASTER | 13TH SCREEN NATION AWARDS". Voxafrica (in French). Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  41. "Pearl Mackie: Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  42. "Heat Magazine Rewards Cream of TV & Pop Culture With New 'Unmissables' Awards". Bauer Media. 14 November 2017. Archived from the original on 4 May 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  43. "6th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards – List of Nominees and Winners – Critics Choice Awards". Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  44. "DIVA Awards 2022 - SHORTLIST 2022". www.divaawards.co.uk. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  45. "Screen Nation Hall Of Fame". www.screennation.org. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  46. Laford, Andrea (7 July 2020). "Jo Martin and Doctor Who nominated for Screen Nation awards". CultBox. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
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